Leading the Blind

A week ago today I watched a video that I'd linked to from Facebook about a young woman named Lizzie. Lizzie used flash cards which cover her face during the video to tell her story. She told of her diagnosis with a syndrome that was so rare it was unnamed. It distorted her facial features and interfered with her ability to gain weight. Lizzie looks dramatically different than most people. She tells the story of being in high school and someone taking an 8 second video of her, putting it on YouTube, and titling it "World's Ugliest Woman." She explains how some of the comments on the video would say "Do the world a favor and kill yourself" and how it hurt her, but instead of getting revenge, she got even. Lizzie set goals for herself to prove that she is an amazing person, and she accomplished all of those goals, such as graduating college and having a family. At the end of the video Lizzie removes the flash cards and you get to see her face. Personally, I th...

Recently, I met an amazing lady named Michelle, whose blog I follow because she and Christian were born with the same type of cleft. Because this cleft is so rare, I treasure our relationship as one in a million...or I guess you could say 50 in 7 billion. :)  She is definitely a special person just like my Christian! She has been through more in her life than most of us will ever face. She recently posted a blog entry called "Gains and Losses" where she listed all the major losses in her life, and what she had gained by them. I absolutely fell in love with this idea. I think it is Godly, it is positively focused, and it is productive to healing and moving forward in one's life. When we suffer traumatic losses in our lives, we have two paths we can take. Changing our circumstances is usually not an option, but what we can do is let it make us stronger or let it defeat us. What Michelle has done by purposefully noting what she has gained from her losses is open a doo...

I have been filling my blog lately with articles that I write for the Cannon Courier on disability advocacy and education, and between writing that bi-weekly article, and law school, and a full time job, and being an active member of my church, AND raising a child who has special needs, I don' t have a whole lot of time to just sit and write from my heart. But recently, a topic struck me that I just had to post about. A sweet, sweet friend told me this week through Facebook that she considered me the "epitome" of a good mother. I gasped at such an astounding comment. I do consider myself a very good mother, maybe a little over protective at times, maybe a little to obsessive about Christian's care at times. But if I have one flaw as a mom, it's that I care too much. But, when I read this comment, it definitely stayed with me for a few minutes. As I mulled it over in my head and tried to wrap my thoughts around it, I asked myself if I was really worthy of such a ...

What is Special Kids? Check out these cute pictures and video to see exactly what goes on at Special Kids, Inc. Feeding therapy where Christian learns to ear Occupational therapy where Christian learns to master his fine motor skills crawling through the tunnel! Little brothers need entertainment too! :)      Special Kids, Inc. is a Christain, non-profit organization in Murfreesboro, Tennessee that provides therapeutic rehabilitation and professional nursing services to children with special needs. Special Kids opened in 1998 with just one child, and today over 2,000 children have been served. They offer physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech language pathology, feeding therapy, nursing services, recreational therapy, art therapy, and a summer day camp. They are a one of a kind facility, being the only organization  in the state that offers rehabilitation and nursing services under one roof.      ...

         The state legislature often hosts "Days on the Hill" for a wide array of groups or topics. The name "Day on the Hill" comes from the fact that the capitol building is perched atop a high hill right in the middle of downtown Nashville, and the day gives people a chance to gather for at wide variety of topics . Anyone can come to the state capitol and speak with legislators at any time that the legislature is in session, but attending during a "Day on the Hill" lets legislators know you are passionate about an issue.       Days on the Hill are a very important part of the legislative process because they are one major way that legislators get informed about topics and how their constituents stand on certain issues. It is also a way to make a presence. When dozens or even hundreds of people gather for a common cause, those who create our laws have no choice but to pay attention. It is also ...

               Would you ever dream of allowing your son or daughter to receive an education that is less adequate then his or her peers? Would you deny your child something that would allow them to be successful now or as adults? The answers to these questions are obvious to anyone, but all too often it happens to children who have a disability without their parents ever having any intentions of letting it take place.                 Often times when parents learn of a child’s disability, especially in the case of mental impairments that don’t present themselves until later into adolescence, they are warned to “be realistic” when it comes to the child’s abilities and future potential. This precept is, however, very flawed. If you as a parent don’t have big dreams for your child, who will? Children thrive on the encouragement and support of...

               Our kids have to go to school, and as parents we want them to do well, learn all that they can, and have some fun while they’re at it. When dealing with kids who have a disability, a normal classroom setting may not be appropriate, however. This doesn’t mean, though, that they do not deserve an equal education. Tennessee follows the federal guidelines of a law known as IDEA, or Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which provides funding to states who follow its guidelines in educating children who have a disability. Its purpose is to ensure that everyone gets a “free appropriate public education.”                 The idea of IDEA (pun intended) is that each special child has a written plan in place that is specific to their needs and detailed to ensure that they get the best possible education. A student with a mental...